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Last update - 16:11 19/06/2008 Social workers to shut down welfare offices over labor dispute By Ruth Sinai, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Yitzhak Herzog  All welfare offices around the country will be closed indefinitely beginning this Sunday, the social workers union said Thursday. The move is the culmination of a series of sanctions imposed by the union earlier this year in protest of what it claims is a shortage of social workers and an excessively heavy work load for current employees. As part of the sanctions, social workers have not opened any new cases, they have not received any new customers, they have not filed legal surveys and reports for cases involving divorce, and they have not appeared before various committees which determine, among other things, whether to remove children from at-risk homes or whether to arrange retirement homes for the elderly. Beginning Sunday, the offices will be closed to the public, as will the offices offering academic test-taking help to youth, aid agencies operating in courts, and family violence centers. In addition, social work supervisors will not report for meetings at the Welfare Ministry. Advertisement The union chairman, Itzik Peri, said he informed Welfare Minister Yitzhak Herzog of social workers' plans to escalate the labor dispute in light of the fact that there are no negotiations ongoing between the union and the Treasury. "For a period of time spanning 70 days, they couldn't find time to meet with us and they continue to disregard thousands of social workers and their demands to provide satisfactory service to the public," Peri said. "When we are talking about monetary damage to the economy as a result of a strike, the Treasury immediately cries out and does everything to prevent it. When we are talking about harm caused to people, this apathetic government has proven that it is not interested." Welfare ministry officials are concerned over the cumulative damage caused as a result of the work stoppage. Nonetheless, there have been no serious negotiations up to this point between the ministry, the union, or the Treasury. Nahum Itzkovitz, the ministry's director general, will meet with the wage department director, Ram Balinkov, in an effort to put an end to the sanctions. Related articles: First education, then health - now welfare faces privatization Welfare Min. data shows 10,000 children at risk of parental abuse On the demise of the welfare state Panel recommends expansion of Wisconsin welfare-to-work plan Bookmark to del.icio.us   Purchase price More consumers are letting their consciences do the shopping. Fighting fear N.Y. mayor urges Jewish voters to denounce Obama Muslim rumors.   1.   Has Israel forgot about Israelites? 18:27  |  The Archives 19/06/08   2.   The only thing that doesn`t matter 05:19  |  Mark Lincoln 20/06/08   3.   To Marc 20:59  |  Fabian 21/06/08

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